Improvement in manufacture of paper stencils



J. Z GIFl-"ORD. Manufacture of Paper Stencils.

T No. 211,988. I Paten ted Feb. 4, 1879.]

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N. PETERS, PHDTO-UTHOGRAFHF.H, WASHINGYON D C UNITED STATES PATENT JOHNZIGIFFORD, OF- NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN MANUFACTURE OF PAPER STENCILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,988, dated February4, 1879; application filed December 4, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Z. GIFFORD, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufactureof Stencils from Paper and other materials, which improvement is fullyset forth in the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawin gs,in which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top Viewof an apparatus used in carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is across-section of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

The aim of my invention is to facilitate the sawing of stencils forfrescoing and other purposes from paper and like materials, and tolessen the cost of manufacturing this class of articles.

Prior to my invention paper stencils have been made by simply laying thematerials on a table or board and following the lines of the pattern tobe produced with a knife. This operation, obviously, is a tedious one,and is therefore not practically adapted to the manufacture of stencilson a large scale. Paper has also been prepared for sawing the same intoornamental shapes by compressing a number of lamiuie between two boards,and cementin g the edges of the whole with a strong fabric.

The disadvantage attending this process is that the boards can be usedonly once, and also that considerable time is consumed in cementing theedges of the paper and the boards. To overcome the disadvantagesnarrated I clamp the paper or other material on its edges and stretchthe same in a suitable frame or apparatus, and then perforate the sameadjacent to the lines of the pattern to be produced to admit the cuttinginstrument, thereby bringin g the material to a suitable condition to becut by means of a saw. I make use of an apparatus consisting of a framecarrying stretching-screws and of edge-gages carrying clamping-screws,the edge-gages being connected to the stretching-screws within theframe, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In carrying out my invention I place upon each other a number of sheets,A, of the paper or other material to be sawed out, and clamp or tightlycompress the edges of the material, so as to obtain a firm hold thereofand prevent the sheets from shifting, this purpose being accomplished byinserting the edges of the material in gages B, and tightening a seriesof screws, D, arranged 011 such gages. I then stretch the laminae so asto bring the same to a taut condition by means of stretchingscrews C, engaging with the edgegages B and working in a frame, E; and, finally,after the pattern has been marked on the upper sheet, punch into andthrough the material as many holes as there are lines to the pattern, asindicated in Fig. 1, the holes being formed at random in those portionsof the pattern which are to be cut out. I thus prepare the laminae ofpaper or other material so that it can be cut out by means of a sawwithout loss of time, and without causing the destruction of the devicesused by the ensuing sawing operation.

In sawing out the paper or other material prepared according to myinvention, the frame E is placed on a bed, as shown in Fig. 2, and theend of a jig-saw is successively inserted in each of the perforations a.This saw is made to follow the line or lines of the pattern by simplymoving the frame E over the bed in the proper directions.

I have found that the operation of sawing out the pattern is improved byproviding the bed of the saw with a boss around the saw to support thematerial at that point, as shown in Fig. 2.

Between the clampiugscrews D and the surface of the material held in theed ge-gages B, I interpose a strip, Z), of wood or other material, todistribute the pressure of said screws and protect the material.

It may be remarked that one or two of the edge-gages B can bestationary, and also that a single stretching-screw can be used in connection with each of the gages, in which case slides are used to guidethe gages in and out ward.

WVhatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The within-described method of forming stencils from sheets offibrous material, the same consisting, first, in tightly stretching thesheets of material to bring them to a taut con dition; second, markingthe desired pattern on the upper sheet; third, perforating all thesheets at. a point within the pattern to be the slots or groovestherein, and bearing against the said strips, for clamping the sheets oflaminae, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto set my hand and sealthis 7th day of November, 1878.

JOHN Z. GIFFORD. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, CHAS. WAHLERs.

